STYLEPHILE - BERNHARD WILLHELM

SPRING 2010

The Man Himself Photographed for 1o Magazine

I am loving this collection. It is fun, complex, energetic, whimsical, imaginative, thoughtful, challenging, innovative, brassy, organic, and everything else a person would want their life to be! The talent behind it is no exception to all of these adjectives. Having worked in some of my most favorite houses (Westwood, McQueen, Bikkembergs), it is no surprise his collections can stand alone. This Royal Academy of Antwerp grad may be a new Idol of mine. You can but it here.

AU NATURALE

FALLING FOR SPRING

Spring, God love you. I am so pleased that the winter is finally over and that flowers are out, and trees are growing leaves, and everything is turning from grey to green...I love the energy of weddings and graduation and new beginnings...summer travel is just around the corner, results from working off that holiday weight are visible...so what could be the problem?? POLLEN! Who knew that I have such terrible allergies that I have been stuck in a make-shift sick bay in the guest bedroom. Eek. Blech. Bah.

Not all is lost. In my medicated coma-esque state I have found a really cool trend for Fall. While lamenting the problems of spring and wishing for rain and colder weather to knock the pollen out of the air, I perused the looks of F/w 1o/11 and am LOVING the get tough patchwork, and touch of leather accents that are cropping up on the runways.

I have paired my favorite get tough in your wardrobe looks with some of my favorite get tough against pollen drugs...

Jean Paul Gaultier F 2010

Les Hommes A/W 2010

Louis Vuitton A/W 2010

Louis Vuitton A/W 2010

Zegna Fall 2010

Zegna Fall 2010

Ahhhh! relief...

CURRENT OBSESSION

M.I.C.K.E.Y . PAS.SA.REL.LA TEES! (sung)

Part Of Your World - Jodi Bens...

The latest collection of Tees from the fabboo band and brand Passarella Death Squad includes some of the most amazing graphics I've seen in a long time. The whole use of sex and Disney is done so well! The last time I had this feeling was when I wanted to be the Little Mermaid and then learned their was a giant phallus on the cover of her VHS...and was glad.

You can get these goodies at Oki-Ni...of course...

Can You Feel It (Daisy Duck & Pluto)

Temperature Rising (Donald Duck & Vulture)

Anthem (Minnie & Mickey)

LOOKIE-LIEU

EAR BUDS

I only have one tattoo. I thought that was going to change, but it hasn't...yet. The problem is deciding what you want to get done and where and how and by whom and when etc, etc, etc...and that can become a daunting task when you consider that (outside of burning it off you) it is a permanent decision. BUT, that's really part of the fun too.

Finding myself wishy-washy on the inky details but decidedly pro and primed for self-mutilation, I found myself dreaming of the perfect piercing. I had never really thought about getting my ears did, but I found myself lobe focused during conversations. My eyes would wanter to the perimeters of a person's face an I would stop listening as I gazed at their ears wondering if I could pull off a pair of studs...And again the visions came of the pair i NEEDED to have...

So here they are. I had them made for me by the good people at YouMacbeth. Half carat black diamonds set in screw back white gold settings that had been dipped in black rhodium. They only took an afternoon that was casually and happily spent in downtown LA. Now that they actually exist, I had to pony up at Claire's...

I gotta say, I'm quite happy with the end result. It's not quite a tattoo, but it works. A little luxe edge never hurt anyone (thanks to a cautious teen at the mall), and I can always get my next tat when the inspiration comes...

ARTSY FARTSY

RUBA ROMBIC VON FURSTENBERG

Deadbeat Summer - Neon Indian

I am OBSESSED...again. So many things these days are graphic and visual and hyper colored. While I am a big fan of clean, modern lines and bright shapes, too much of it creates visual noise that become drowning, boring and derivative. Into a visually exhausting sea of chaos and color I submit a clean and clear idea that may be a source of all of the deriving. In 1928 Consolidated Lamp and Glass Co. introduced it's "Ruba Rombic" collection of glassware. It so cool it could be the cover of a Neon Indian album. It blows my mind that this was done in the 20s! The natural, graphic appeal of this glass (my favorite is the fishbowl above with custom pedestal) has withstood the test of time and has made this one of the most covetable collectables around...if you can find it...

Can't seem to find any? There is a modern designer doing her thing in a similar way - this time out of clear acrylic with neon accents. Alexandra Von Furstenburg's "Voltage" and "Fearless" collections are so rad and modern that it makes me want to throw out all my furniture immediately.

This is a coffee table!

desks

EVENTS

MAKE 'EM PROUD

The first big wave of Spring travel is upon us. While I believe it is always a good time to jaunt around the globe and show off your goody bags, this is the perfect opportunity to posit a few ways to present a little more savvy and, well, taste when choosing just what bags you are going to be exhibiting around various locales. I have a current top three I'd take just about anywhere...and show anybody that was sober enough to ask...

First, we have the amazing tote by Property Of... that can fit just about anything for a quick little getaway. I travel light and hate to check bags. I could probably get a weeks worth of living into this one...I'd just have to ship anything else I got along the way home.

Next up is this adorably nifty computer bag. "Trash" by Travelteq is the perfect case to bring the most important accessory (after sunscreen) around. I love the size (enough room for a little bit more but not too much) color blocking, zippers, and shape, and it is always nice to have a computer handy without feeling like a (total) geek.

Finally, the must have excess-ory of the season...Christian Schoeler x Louis Vuitton via menswear designer Paul Helbers bags are OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD. Hell, if I had this bag, why travel? I'd just live in it...and you could visit me.

CURRENT OBSESSION

LITTLE OBSESSED WITH KZO

KZO is an LA based brand that I have been liking for a while. Over the fall they had some amazing wovens (a specific black one that was too cute for words). DSquared was a bit literal, but this spring Joel K is direct on point to make me want to set up camp, drink around a fire, roast things, and sleep under the stars...all while looking fabooooo! Get the here.

TREND

JyCmSb

The Morning: Another Morning -...

The best kinds of creative projects happen organically. They come from a simple spark and manage to grow effortlessly in front of you. Mine literally came from a spark - I wanted to make a special valentine for my friend "Sparky." This led to a really cool capsule jewelry collection at my favorite LA store Atmosphere inspired by natural and semi-precious stones, their gemstone properties & meanings and their astrological relationship to the wearer.

In order to modernize the hippie mumbo-jumbo that can usually result from acute fascinations within this realm of mysticism, I focused on primary colors (jade, jasper, lapis, malachite etc.), geometric shapes, and asymmetry. I'm into the balance and dis-balance of two conflicting ideas making sense on a string...and if they played music, they would sound like the Moody Blues Days of Future Past.

VIDEO BREAK

SAINT AND THE ASSASSIN AW10

Check out this digital short. Produced with JW Anderson's AW/1011 collection. He is one of my favorite new designers. Once you fall in love with it too, check out the available pieces at Oki-Ni.

LOOKIE-LIEU

ADAM KIMMEL X RYAN BERKLEY

I came across two very different (from the ordinary) but similar (to each other) things in the past few days. While re-perusing through the fall 2010/2011 collections, I couldn't help but stop and admire the collection of Adam Kimmel. While the clothes aren't really my style, there is no doubt that the "sartorial luxury" is there and I heartily appreciate the sense of humor that the designer injects into his presentations.

Speaking of a sense of humor...

What makes Ryan Berkley's prints so amazing is the exceptional amount of character he can supply to each one with the aid of the little descriptions. I was laughing out loud while exploring all his available creatures...

look at this little guy - all dressed up and ready for his school picture! Or maybe he is in one of those old timey western photo booths? Or maybe he actually is old-timey. I'll go ahead and let you decide. This is the perfect gift if you know someone who likes portraits of bunnies in suits (and really, isn't that almost everyone?).

Now, take a look at some of my favorite looks from the collection and prints from gallery. Brilliant, absurd, irreverent, charming...all things an out-of-the-ordinary head in a suit should most perfectly be.